


Let's keep it this way

by OnlyKangS



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: Canada, Complete, F/F, One Shot, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:27:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25936657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnlyKangS/pseuds/OnlyKangS
Summary: It's been a while since Irene, 1/2 of the famous k-pop duo ASEUL, last experienced a "normal" life.And here's her one day chance in a foreign country called Canada.
Relationships: Bae Joohyun | Irene/Son Seungwan | Wendy, Kang Seulgi/Park Sooyoung | Joy
Comments: 9
Kudos: 103





	Let's keep it this way

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this out of the blue to get it out of my system since this idea has been lingering inside my head since yesterday.
> 
> So I present to you this little fluff one-shot for our Wenrene seekers out there. (lol I know there's too much angst so yeah, enjoy!)

**  
**

***bold letters = English**

* * *

_Toronto, Canada_

It was a chilly morning and Irene was bored to death. The other half of ASeul, Irene’s partner-on-stage, Seulgi, has been busy video calling her secret non-celeb girlfriend, Sooyoung.

It was their third and final day in Canada. The company was generous enough to allow them a free day after a two-day tour here in Toronto. It was originally a one-day tour but the demands are high and they were practically forced to add another day and it was sold out in seconds. Well, they’re ASeul, one of the biggest duo acts around, be it kpop or pop in general.

“Seulgi-yah,” she called out from her bedroom. The person of interest looked away from her phone for a moment.

“Yes, unnie?”

“I’ll just head out for a bit. Gonna stroll somewhere.”

“Will you be alone?”

“Yeah, probably. Call me if something’s up.”

“Okay, sure. Keep safe!”

She was welcomed by the chilly Canadian wind. It’s not exactly winter season but she sure isn’t conditioned for the Canadian weather. Her thin sweater isn’t helping either. But she's too lazy to return and grab a thicker jacket.

Sporting a black facemask and a cap, she strolled down the street while reading off something from her phone.

"I wonder how to get to St. Lawrence Market."

Reading maps is not her strong point, and so is English. Unfortunately, she needed both to get to the place she's been looking for. Asking her manager is not an option at this point. She didn't even tell her that she's out and about. She would probably be scolded later on but that's another problem for another time.

Looking around, she spotted a police officer by a bus stop. She approached him hesitantly.

 **"Uh, excuse me, sir?"** She asked in her best English attempt.

**"Yes, ma'am?"**

Now, she's panicking. She really should've paid attention to SM's English classes more.

Lifting her phone, she showed the kind officer a webpage containing St. Lawrence Marketplace. **"You know how to get here?"** The officer didn’t miss her broken English accent.

 **"Oh, are you a foreigner by any chance?"** He asked instead, to which she nodded.

**"Yes yes. Korean. Basic English only. But I can read."**

**"Oh my, I'm so sorry I don't speak Korean. But, you may get on a bus here,"** he then pointed at the bus stop they're currently at.

**"Get off at the Esplanade on Market street. You have to walk a bit to reach St. Lawrence though."**

Irene got a bit of what the officer said, but still, anxiety is getting into her. It's the first time she's walking around a foreign country alone.

 **"Okay. Bus, then Esplanade, then walk to St. Lawrence?"** she tried to clarify. She figured she'll just probably ask the driver again later.

 **"Yep! You can ask locals there to help you. I'm sure they will be glad to,"** he gave off a reassuring smile.

**"Okay, thank you, sir!"**

She left the officer and settled herself in one of the benches at the bus stop. She looked around carefully, checking if she's been exposed. Thankfully, her mask and cap are doing a great job.

That was until a woman, probably her age, approached her. She remembered that she saw her sitting here for a while.

 **"Hi!"** She greeted cheerfully.

 **"Uh, hello,"** Irene tried to greet back in English. She's now panicking inside if she's been recognized.

"I kinda overheard your conversation. I'm really sorry for snooping around," the woman stated fully in Korean while bowing in apology, "but if you may, I'm also headed to St. Lawrence. I can help you if you want," she gave her a bright smile.

_Oh my gosh, am I blessed or something?_

"Are you sure? I mean, I'm technically a stranger."

"It's totally fine! I'd be glad to help someone. I can also help you communicate if you're having difficulty with it."

Irene looked sideways, trying to weigh the option.

For one, it'll really be a great help if she tags along. By the looks of it, the woman both speaks English and Korean. She also looks really friendly.

Also, she's kinda cute.

Her only worry right now is that she might be recognized. It's the risk she's afraid to take.

But the pros outweigh the cons so here goes nothing.

"Is it really alright with you?"

"Absolutely!"

"Okay then."

Inside the bus, they grabbed a seat side by side. It's still a bit early so there are only a few passengers.

"I almost forgot. I'm Wendy," the cheerful woman said.

Now, this got Irene to panic. She can't exactly tell her name, and also her birth name. Fans know these things.

"Hyun. My name's Hyun."

"Hyun… that's a nice name." Irene had to pause for a bit at that. She breathes out a sigh of relief once she realizes how tense she must've been.

"You here on vacation or something?"

Wow, she's talkative, she thought.

"Kinda like that. I'm here with a friend but she's too lazy to accompany me."

Wendy only nodded before giving out a megawatt smile. "I'm glad to be sitting on that bus stop at that exact time then."

\---

Not an hour had passed when they reached St. Lawrence market. As expected, the place is already packed with people, locals, and tourists alike, even in the early morning.

“The place sure seems packed, huh?” Wendy said casually, not immediately noticing the apprehensive look on Irene’s covered face. It was only after a few seconds of silence that Wendy finally noticed her frozen companion.

“You okay? I mean, we can go elsewhere if you’re not comfortable with the crowd,” she asked worriedly.

“N-no, it’s fine. I was just quite surprised at the number of people. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a place like this.”

With that, Irene suddenly felt a warm hand holding her arm, “I won’t let you go, alright? Just stick with me and you won’t be lost.”

And true to her words, she has never once let go of Irene.

“Hyun! You gotta try this.” In her hand is a huge bagel, bigger than her own hands, stuffed with various fillings.

“This one is a must-try here. Come on.”

Irene slowly approached the food, carefully pulling her mask down. She opened her mouth widely to accommodate the stuffed bagel. Once she took a bite, her eyes immediately went wide, radiating the burst of flavors she just had from the food.

“It is good! Wow, if Seulgi was here, she’ll probably leave me to taste all the food around here.”

“Who?”

Irene then realized the slip of the tongue. _Stupid me! Think, think._

“Seulhee, the lazy friend I told you about. She’s a foodie and has a huge appetite. She would love it here.”

“Why don’t we take a picture of you so you can brag about it? I’m sure she’ll be the one to pull you here next time.”

“Sure!” She then gave her phone to Wendy, but not without opening the camera app first.

“Okay, smile for me. One, two, and click!”

She’s thankful once again that Wendy immediately gave her phone back to her.

“Let’s check out some more. There’s a lot of stuff here that it’ll take you a day to cover everything.”

“Sure, lead the way.”

It’s been half a day and they’re only able to cover half of the place. They decided to take a rest in one of the free benches on the sides. Irene definitely needed rest. The chilly weather isn’t really helping her out.

That didn’t escape Wendy’s eyes. She noticed the slight shivering of the woman. She also noted the fact that she’s only wearing a light sweater, not enough to shield her from the cold, that’s for sure.

She removed her thick jacket from herself and faced Irene again. “Here.”

“Huh?” she asked, clueless.

“I kinda noticed you shivering. Sorry if I’m only acting on it now. I’m pretty sure you’re not used to Canadian weather yet. Your sweater’s kinda thin, too. I’m afraid that you might catch a cold or something.” Wendy shyly explained.

“No, it’s al—”

“Please, I insist! Don’t worry about me. This weather’s normal for me. So please, take my jacket.”

Irene couldn’t really decline the offer. For one, she is indeed cold, but she’s just hiding it. And two, how can she refuse this cutie in front of her? She’ll actually feel bad if she refused her offer.

“Hmmm, okay. Thank you, really.” She grabbed the jacket and wore it to herself. Perfect fit, she thought.

They sat in silence while sipping their drinks. It’s fun to observe the people go around, doing their business. It’s a rare sight for Irene. She’s so used to her extremely busy life as an idol who can’t find time to even observe the people around her. Despite all the fame and glamour, she actually missed how to live a normal life. She kinda envies Wendy on that aspect. She can clearly see how happy she is with her current life. While her? yeah, she’s happy alright, but not without a huge amount of burden attached to it as an idol. She needed to appear happy, or else, her career might end down the drain.

Wendy suddenly broke her train of thought. “You seem to have a lot in your mind.”

“Well, kinda. I mean, it’s been so long since I’ve actually relaxed like this. So this is actually a change of scenery for me.”

“Is that why you’re taking a vacation here in Canada?”

“I’m actually here for… work. It’s just that our company gave us a free day before we head home tomorrow.”

“So you’re heading back to Korea tomorrow?”

Irene looked away from her companion. She can sense a bit of sadness from her tone. “Yeah. Our flight’s early morning.”

“Oh, guess you only have today to do stuff you wanted, huh?”

“Yeah, kinda sad but grateful nonetheless.”

Wendy suddenly stood up from her seat, which made Irene look at her curiously.

“So, tell me what you want to do. I’ll gladly help you with that.” Wendy’s smile is so bright that it’s kinda blinding Irene but in a good way. She’s still amazed at how kind-hearted this stranger – Wendy – is to her. Actually, it felt like they’ve been friends for so long.

Irene thought for a moment. If there’s one thing she wanted to experience, and oh boy how she envies Seulgi for this, it’s something she’s been wondering how it feels for a long while now.

“There’s actually one thing…” she started off, which made Wendy focus her attention on her.

“I’ve been jealous of my friend for this, actually. I don’t know how she managed it but she’s doing it anyway.”

“What is it?”

“You see, in our work, it’s kinda hard to have relationships. Moreso, it’s practically impossible to go on dates and such. Although my friend managed to have one, they're kinda in a secret relationship, so even our company doesn’t know about it. But she’s managing well with work without neglecting her girlfriend.”

“Ohhhh so your friend’s gay?” Wendy asked without prejudice, that much Irene can tell.

“Are you against it?”

“No, of course not! I’m just surprised since I know Korea isn’t really open with these kinds of things.”

“Yeah, that’s also one reason why it’s a secret.”

Wendy paused for a bit, thinking. “So, let me guess. You wanna know what it feels like to be on dates or something?”

Hearing it in simple, exact words, now Irene can’t help but blush. Thank goodness she’s worn her facemask again to conceal it. “Y-yeah? Kinda. I haven’t really gone on a date before.” She said as her voice keeps getting softer.

“Hmmm, let’s do that, then,” Wendy suggests as if it’s the most casual thing in the world.

“What?!”

“I mean, even if it’s just a friendly date, it’s considered a date, right? So let’s do that.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m the one who offered so I’m more than okay with it. Are YOU okay with it, though?” Wendy asked back.

Well, Wendy’s really kind, good-natured, fun to be with, and she really knows how to keep a conversation alive. Plus, Irene can’t deny that Wendy’s actually cute, no, gorgeous, now that she realized it.

She didn’t realize that she’s been staring at her for a while.

“Hyun?” she heard Wendy called her.

“Oh, yeah. Sure. I’m okay with it if you’re okay.”

“Let’s go, then,” the bubbly woman said as she offered her hand to Irene, with the latter accepting it in the process.

They spent the rest of the day doing ‘dating’ stuff, with Wendy initiating most of the things since she’s the more experienced one.

“Wait, Hyun, there’s icing,” she said as she reached out for the corner of Irene’s mouth, rendering the latter frozen from her seat.

Wendy casually licked the icing off her finger, “Hm, should’ve gotten this flavor instead. It’s really good.”

“O-oh, thanks.”

As they were silently devouring their dessert, she can’t help but notice Wendy staring at her.

“Something on my face?”

“Hmmm, no, that’s not it.” This made Irene nervous.

Wendy spoke further. “You know, you kinda look like someone I’ve seen before, now that I can see half of your face clearly.”

“I-is that so?” she can feel her heartbeat sped up. She can’t get exposed now.

But Wendy’s words made her feel somehow safe.

“Well, I might be wrong, or I might actually be right. But whatever. Let’s keep it this way, Hyun. You have your reason to hide and I respect that. Don’t worry, I won’t speak about it again,” Wendy then gave her a reassuring smile.

Whether the woman figured her out or not, she’ll never know. One thing’s for sure, she’s thankful for Wendy.

“Thanks, really. Wendy.”

“Sure, no problem. Now, let’s continue this ‘date’ of ours, shall we?”

For the remainder of the afternoon, they did various activities, from playing at an arcade, to tasting every dessert stall available. They decided to spend the remaining time at Sugar beach, also for them to take a rest for a bit before they part ways.

It’s nearing seven in the afternoon. Seulgi texted her, reminding that they still need to pack their things for their 5AM flight tomorrow.

It didn’t escape Wendy’s eyes when Irene released a sigh after reading her friend’s message.

“Need to go back already?” she asked as they were walking side by side by the beach, hand in hand. Irene can feel Wendy’s warm hands over her ice-cold ones. She’s still thankful for the latter’s jacket, or else she doesn’t know if she’ll survive the afternoon breeze.

“Yeah, we still need to pack our stuff. Flight’s tomorrow at 5AM.” Another sigh.

“Hey, it’s alright. I don’t know if you still want to see me again but who knows, we might meet again somewhere, some time, okay?” This time, Wendy faced her, with her hands holding her arms securely.

“I’m actually hoping to see you again, too, Wendy. I’m not sure if you already figured out but you know how my job works. But if given the opportunity, I wanna spend another day or more with you again,” she gave a warm smile to the younger.

“Don’t forget me?” Wendy asked, slightly pleading.

“Never.”

This time, Irene was the one to move first, leaning closer to the other, diminishing the space between them to enclose her with a tight hug.

It lasted for a minute, with the both of them sending their message through the warmth they are emitting right now.

Once they let go, Irene looked at her face again. She caressed Wendy’s cheeks with her right hand, feeling the softness that she’ll surely miss. Wendy held the hand caressing her cheeks.

“Wow, your hands are ice-cold.”

“And your skin is really warm.”

They both laugh at that. Indeed, it was. Wendy’s so accustomed to the cold weather that it’s really nothing to her.

“I can be your personal heater if you like.”

“Sure, I’ll keep that in mind once I visit Canada again.”

Silence ensues, with both of them just observing one another. At this point, Wendy already figured out who ‘Hyun’ is. But she kept that fact to herself, feeling a bit special at this moment, and also the fact that she doesn’t want the girl to be exposed to the public.

The next move was something Wendy didn’t really expect, with Irene pulling down her mask and leaning closer to her face.

The next thing she knew, she felt soft lips on her cheeks, which rendered her frozen on her spot.

Irene only giggled. “Let’s go? My friend might hunt me down.”

They rode the bus back to the station where they first met, sitting side by side, with Irene leaning her head on Wendy’s shoulder, whilst the latter’s arms were sitting comfortably on the older’s waist. They stayed like that all throughout the ride, leaving smiles to both of their faces.

\---

“Oh my god, I really hate packing,” Seulgi complained as she closed the last of her luggage. She had to buy an extra one for the souvenirs and gifts she bought for her friends and girlfriend back home.

“You complain as if you’re not used to this,” Irene can only laugh at her friend. She’s already way ahead of Seulgi despite starting late.

“That’s because I’ll never get used to this! And what about you? What even happened outside that you’re all in this good mood when you returned earlier?”

“Well, that’s something I’ll keep to myself.”

“And look at you. I knew you left your jacket here. But you’re too lazy to go back and grab it so you had to buy a new one. What a waste of money.” 

Irene only giggled at the accusation. Of course, she wouldn’t tell Seulgi that this jacket actually belonged to a certain dreamboat named Wendy.

“And now you’re giggling randomly. Glad that I didn’t go out earlier.”

“Yeah, it’s kinda cold outside.”

The next day, they quietly enjoyed their time while on a long flight back to Korea. Irene still has Wendy’s jacket on her lap, keeping it close to her. The younger’s scent still lingers on the piece of clothing and she can’t help but sniff it.

Call her crazy or something, but she can’t help it. Thank goodness Seulgi’s sleeping like a log beside her.

Upon playing with the jacket, she only noticed a crumpled paper in one of the inside pockets of the jacket.

Irene opened the paper and laughed to herself.

It’s an old raffle ticket where you fill it up with your name and contact details. And it’s Wendy’s contact details, to be precise.

Irene looked up before closing her eyes, holding the said piece of paper to her chest. “Thank you for this.”

\---

Wendy was casually browsing the bird app when her cousin came bursting through her door.

“Unnie look at this!” Yeri came in with her phone at hand, sticking it right in front of Wendy’s face. She had to move back a bit to see clearly whatever her cousin was showing her.

It’s an airport preview of ASeul at Gimpo Airport. Seems like they’ve returned to Korea safely. Of course, a certain detail didn’t escape her eyes.

“Unnie, don’t you have the same jacket like the one Irene’s wearing? I know it’s your favorite and I’ve always seen you wear it. Wow, you have couple jackets. I’m actually jealous.”

Wendy could only laugh. She knows how huge of a fan her cousin is. She’s a fan also, but not as wild as Yeri.

She still can’t believe how she was able to keep her cool the whole day yesterday. Also with the ‘date’ they’ve done, and not to mention Irene kissing her cheeks like that, she doesn’t know how her cousin will react if she hears about that.

“Yeah, yeah, and the next thing you know, we’ll be dating and stuff,” she joked while rolling her eyes but of course, she wouldn’t tell her that they’ve actually gone on a date.

“In your dreams, Wendy unnie. I bet ASeul’s already dating right in front of our faces.”

And how can she forget Irene dumbly mentioning her friend, Seulgi, or Seulhee as she called her, having a secret relationship? But she’ll keep all of that to herself.

“Yeah yeah. They might be, who knows?”

“Anyways, I’m gonna head out. Gonna drink with friends.”

“Sure, take care Yerim.”

As soon as the noisy kid was out, she went back to doing nothing with her phone.

It was until a message notification appears with an unknown number. She opened the message, looking clueless.

**Hi :)**  
_**From: 001-82-2-221-0329 (South Korea)** _  
  


She was about to dismiss it when another message came in, this time, it’s a photo.

Wendy can’t help but smile upon seeing the message. It’s the raffle ticket she totally forgot to submit. With her name and contact number.

This time, she didn’t hesitate. She knows that whatever happened yesterday, It’s not just a random paragraph in her life story.

With a smile on her face, and not to mention ignoring the charge it might cost her to message an international number, she replied anyway.

**Hello, Hyun :)**  
_**Sent: 001-82-2-221-0329 (South Korea)** _

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo a little wenrene fluff for all of you :) Hope you enjoy!


End file.
